Seahawks get defensive with limited picks in 2021 NFL Mock Draft

Round 4, pick 129: Israel Mukuamu, Cornerback, South Carolina

One is probably best advised not to phone in a potential cornerback selection for Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawk team.

Carroll, a true guru of the defensive secondary, is known for coaching his corners to deploy a very specific press man technique. Known as “step-kick”, it involves the cornerback taking a read or “kick” step with their outside foot at a play’s outset, then essentially standing somewhat flat-footed until the receiver demonstrates to the defender which direction he (the receiver) is going. Once the receiver has declared his intent, the cornerback will hop off of his other foot to travel in the same direction as the receiver.

Designed to frustrate both short and long-passing concepts, the goal of the kick-step approach is to force an opposing offense to consistently connect on mid-range targets, with the defenders rallying full-force to tackle and limit yards after the catch.

It is largely for this reason that Seattle is known to prefer long-limbed, physical defenders on the outside. However, adding a Carroll-approved cornerback is not as easy as pinpointing a rangy collegiate cover corner or converting an athletic safety, as the trait he is said to value most at the position is actually foot quickness.

With that (probably too) long intro in mind, allow me to introduce South Carolina’s “other” cornerback, Israel Mukuamu.

Put simply, cornerbacks do not tend to come in Mukuamu’s 6-foot-4, 205-pound size.

Though adept at putting his considerable length to use in jamming receivers on the outside, Mukuamu is not merely a size prospect. Benefiting from a combination of short-area quickness and surprising makeup speed, Mukuamu virtually leaps off the screen with his ability to stay in phase through a receiver’s stem and beyond.

All told, there is a lot to like about Mukuamu’s game as it could relate to Seattle’s Cover-3 approach. While some teams might envision him playing deep, or even carrying oversized F, Y receivers across the field in sub-packages, a team like the Seahawks could stand to benefit by putting his rare traits to use across from the league’s receivers.